Garment having armpit protection means

ABSTRACT

A shirt or blouse type garment having an internal torso pocket along one side of the torso part opening toward the armhole, and an internal sleeve pocket along a lower sleeve region opening toward the armhole, together with an elongate absorbent pad extending through the armhole and having its opposite end regions removably retained in inserted relation within respective pockets.

ilnited States Patent 1 91 Bond 1451 July 10,1973

[ GARMENT HAVING ARMPIT PROTECTION MEANS [76] Inventor: Alexander Bond,4825 N. Broad St.,

Philadelphia, Pa.

[22] Filed: May 18, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 254,714

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.123,551, March 12,

1971 abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 2/54 [51] Int. Cl A41d 27/12 [58] Field of Search 2/52, 53,54, 56

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 519,487 5/l894 Warner 2/56813,585 2/1906 Reid 2/54 1,059,811 4/1913 Barrow 2/54 1,979,983 11/1934Meek 2/53 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12,115 1894 Great Britain 2/542,290 1906 Great Britain... 2/54 1910 GreatBritain... 2/1910 France..2/56

Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Robert K. Youtie 57 ABSTRACT Ashirt or blouse type garment having an internal torso pocket along oneside of the torso part opening toward the armhole, and an internalsleeve pocket along a lower sleeve region opening toward the armhole,together with an elongate absorbent pad extending through the armholeand having its opposite end regions removably retained in insertedrelation within respective pockets.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ATENTED "L 10 1575 3. 744. 056

GARMENT HAVING ARMPIT PROTECTION MEANS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingpatent application Ser. No. 123,551 filed Mar. 12, I971 now abandonedentitled GARMENT HAV- ING AN ARMPIT SAFEGUARD.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While there have, in the past, been proposeda wide variety of garment constructions including armpit protectionmeans, including protection from perspiration and the like, such priorconstructions have not been entirely satisfactory, being relativelycomplex and expensive in manufacture and difficult to use. For example,prior armpit protection means generally involved the connection anddisconnection of several fastening elements of one type or another, atedious and cumbersome procedure; and further, the presence of armpitprotection means was visually apparent so as to detract from theaesthetic appearance of the garment, as well as being generallyuncomfortable to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of thepresent invention to provide a unique and highly improved garmentconstruction including armpit protection means which overcomes theabove-mentioned difficulties of the prior art, the protection meansincluding an absorbent pad which is quickly and easily insertable andreplaceable with respect to the garment without the need for tediousfastening, unfastening and refastening, or the like, being highlycomfortable to the wearer as requiring no special fastening means andbeing extremely compact and light in weight, and which is effectivelyconcealed from view by eliminating heretofore essential fastening meansand resultant garment stress and strain, localized tightness andpulling, gaps, and other aesthetically undesirable appearances.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide agarment construction of the type described and having the advantageouscharacteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein anelongate absorbent pad is provided with stiffened and end regions forconforming engagement in respective internal pockets in smoothlydistending relation therewith, so that puckers and other telltale signsof armpit protection means are effectively avoided.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational viewshowing a garment construction in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention including armpit protection means.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an absorbent pad constructed inaccordance with the instant invention apart from the garment.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 33 ofFIG. 1 illustrating the assembled garment and pad relationship.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, and

specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a garment is there gener- 'allydesignated 10, and may be of a blouse or shirt type,

including a body or torso covering part 11 having armholes or scyes 12,in the conventional manner. A sleeve 13 extends from each side of thetorso part 11. In particular, each generally tubular sleeve 13 has oneend region 14 extending about a respective adjacent armhole 12 andsecured thereto in any suitable manner, as by stitching. Thus, thesleeves 13 each communicate through a respective armhole 12 with theinterior of the torso part 11.

Each side of the torso covering part 11 and the respective adjacentsleeve 13 is provided with an armpit protection means, generallydesignated 20, which armpit protection means may be identical. Hence, adetailed description of one armpit protection means structure willsuffice.

The armpit protection means 20 comprises a sleeve pocket 21 located in alower region of the sleeve 13, see FIGS. 3-5. The pocket 21 is locatedadjacent to and spaced from the armhole 12, being defined by a patch 22of generally rectangular outline configuration, having a pair ofgenerally parallel side edges 23 and an arcuate end edge 24. The pocketpatch 22 is suitably secured to the lower region of sleeve 13, as bystitching 25, extending along the parallel side edges 23 and end edge24, the inner end edge 26 remaining unsecured.

Thus, the pocket 21 has its inner end open, facing toward and spacedfrom the armhole 12. Further, the pocket 21 has its side edges generallyparallel as along the patch edges 23. The outer end of the pocket 21 isclosed, as along the end edge 24.

Each pocket 20 is of a construction substantially identical to that ofeach pocket 21, each pocket 20 being located on one internal side regionof the torso part 11, adjacent to and spaced below the respective armpit12, and opening upwardly toward the adjacent armpit.

An absorbent pad is generally designated 30, and is of elongateconfiguration, having generally parallel side edges 31, and terminatingin arcuate end edges 32. Further, the end regions 33 of the absorbentpad 30 are advantageous stiffened, both laterally or transversely of thepad and longitudinally thereof. Suitable stiffening means may beemployed, such as a pair of sandwiching outer layers 34, which maycongruently overlie the pad end regions, being suitably adhesively orotherwise secured thereto, and being fabricated of carboard or othersuitable material. The pad end regions 33 are configured for snugconforming insertion into respective sleeve and torso pockets 21 and 20.

While the absorbent pad 30 is illustrated as having sandwichingstiffening layers on opposite sides, other suitable stiffening means maybe employed, as desired. For example, stiffening means may encompass orencircle the pad end regions, or be embedded in the pad end regions, inany desired manner.

In the operative assembled condition of FIG. 1, the pad 30 extendsthrough the armhole 12, having one end region inserted snugly andconformably into the sleeve pocket 21, and having its other end regioninserted snugly and conformably within the adjacent torso pocket 20. Bythis snug engagement of pad end regions in respective pockets 20 and 21,the pockets are smoothly distended to avoid unattractive puckers andpulls, while the snug insertion insures a friction fit removablyretaining the pad end portions in the receiving pockets.

That is, the lateral stiffening action of the stiffeners 34 insureslateral distension of the pockets 20 and 21 for effective frictionalretention therein without distortion and wrinkling of the garmentmaterial. Further, the longitudinal stiffening action of stiffeningmeans 34 facilitates the manual insertion of the pad end regions 33 intothe respective receiving pockets 20 and 21. Of course, the pads 30 areconveniently removed by deliberate manual withdrawal from the receivingpockets for quick and easy replacement, as desired.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides agarment construction having armpit protection means which is extremelysimple in design, durable and reliable in use, extremely easy to insertand remove absorbent pads, and which otherwise fully accomplishes itsintended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withinthe spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment having armpit protection means comprising a torso part forcovering a wearers torso and having an armhole in one side, a torsopocket internally of said torso part on said one side spaced entirelybelow and opening upwardly toward said armhole, a sleeve having one endextending about said armhole and connected to said one side of saidtorso part communicating with the interior thereof, a sleeve pocketinternally of said sleeve and on a lower sleeve region spaced en tirelyfrom and opening toward said armhole, said torso and sleeve pockets eachhaving generally parallel opposite sides extending toward and away fromsaid armhole, an elongate absorbent pad extending through said armholebetween and having its opposite end regions inserted into said torso andsleeve pockets respectively, and stiffening means on said opposite padregions, said stiffening means extending laterally across said pad endregions and having generally parallel opposite sides for smoothdistention of said pockets and frictional retention in said pockets.

2. A garment according to claim 1, said stiffening means extendinglongitudinally of said pad to facilitate insertion of said pad endregions in said pockets.

3. A garment according to claim 2, said stiffening means comprisingcardboard members secured in generally congruent relation with respectto said pad end regions, and said pad having convexly arcuate terminaledges merging smoothly with said parallel opposite sides for snugconforming frictional engagement in said pockets.

1. A garment having armpit protection means comprising a torso part forcovering a wearer''s torso and having an armhole in one side, a torsopocket internally of said torso part on said one side spaced entirelybelow and opening upwardly toward said armhole, a sleeve having one endextending about said armhole and connected to said one side of saidtorso part communicating with the interior thereof, a sleeve pocketinternally of said sleeve and on a lower sleeve region spaced entirelyfrom and opening toward said armhole, said torso and sleeve pockets eachhaving generally parallel opposite sides extending toward and away fromsaid armhole, an elongate absorbent pad extending through said armholebetween and having its opposite end regions inserted into said torso andsleeve pockets respectively, and stiffening means on said opposite padregions, said stiffening means extending laterally across said pad endregions and having generally parallel opposite sides for smoothdistention of said pockets and frictional retention in said pockets. 2.A garment according to claim 1, said stiffening means extendinglongitudinally of said pad to facilitate insertion of said pad endregions in said pockets.
 3. A garment according to claim 2, saidstiffening means comprising cardboard members secured in generallycongruent relation with respect to said pad end regions, and said padhaving convexly arcuate terminal edges merging smoothly with saidparallel opposite sides for snug conforming frictional engagement insaid pockets.